The present invention relates to an apparatus for use in conjunction with drums such as bongo or conga drums, the apparatus being capable of variably altering the sound characteristics produced when the drums are played, the apparatus being controlled by actuation of a foot pedal by the person playing the drums.
There are many types of apparatus described in the prior art which are designed to muffle or otherwise alter the sound produced when drums of various types are played. Some of these employ a simple "tuning" adjustment to be used before playing while others employ a foot pedal which is actuated during playing to achieve a desired end. Nothing in the prior art, however, shows a pedal actuated apparatus which can be used in conjunction with a separate set of free-standing drums to enable the player to variably alter the sound produced by the drums, the character and magnitude of the effect being controlled by the person playing the drums by varying the foot pressure used and the rhythm of pressure application.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,799,901 describes a combination drum and cymbal striker in which a foot operated drum striker is pivotally linked to a second arm adapted to strike a cymbal mounted at the edge of the drum head in a manner such that the drum head and cymbal are sounded simultaneously.
An apparatus designed to alter the sound produced by a drum while it is being played is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,198,406. Shown therein is a drum in combination with a supporting stand upon which is mounted a foot pedal mechanically connected to apparatus capable of varying the pressure with which wires or snares bear upon the head of the drum so as to permit a variety of tones to be obtained.
A type of drum muffler is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,616 in which an internally located, screw-threaded rod controlled by a finger grip mounted on the exterior shell of the drum is rotated to vary the pressure exerted on the two drum heads by interiorly mounted muffling pads.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,572,504 shows a drum in combination with a drum tone modulator in the form of a softening pad positioned within the drum and actuated by a cam mounted in the drum and operated by a lever pivotally mounted on the outer surface of the drum.
A drum set mounted on a collapsible support structure carrying an array of drums is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,115. The drums are provided with internally mounted, snap action, muffling elements to permit them to be converted into a practice set.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,032 there is shown a foot operated apparatus permitting a tympanist to mute or damp any of his tympani selectively by contacting the inner surface of the head of the instrument with a pair of arm-mounted damping elements.
An apparatus intended to be used in conjunction with a separate but adjacently located drum is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,984. As described, a foot operated apparatus for playing a cymbal, drum or similar band instrument is located adjacent such instrument so that actuation of a foot pedal mechanically raises and lowers a striking stick flexibly mounted on a rigid support arm connected to the foot pedal.
An improved cymbal stand and assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,696 in the form of a stand- mounted cymbal employing a first pedal connected to a primary cymbal beating element and a second foot pedal controlling a cymbal vibration damper thereby allowing a single percussionist to produce a substantially more complex pattern of sounds.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,003 shows a drum in which pitch is adjusted by a pedal assembly connected by a wire cable to an actuating lever.
While the prior art shows a variety of approaches for altering the sound produced by percussion instruments by either striking or damping the vibrations by means of a foot pedal, none of the prior art arrangements are able to be used in the desirable fashion of the improved apparatus of this invention.